1. H. Kötz, Rechtsvereinheitlichung -- Nutzen, Kosten,
Methoden, Ziele: RabelsZ 50 (1986) 1 et seq. (3); H. Kötz,
Europäische Juristenausbildung: ZEuP 1 (1993) 268 et seq.; see also
M.H. Bonell, Restatement 10; H.-J.
Mertens, Nichtlegislatorische Rechtsvereinheitlichung durch transnationales
Wirtschaftsrecht und Rechtsbegriff: RabelsZ 56 (1992) 219 et seq. (221).
2. Kötz, Rechtsvereinheitlichung 5; Kötz,
Europäische Juristenausbildung 269 (both previous note).
3. Kötz, Rechtsvereinheitlichung (above note 1) 7.
4. See Projet de Code des Obligations et Contrats (1929).
5. See for the (old) Nordic Sales Law T. Almén, Das
Skandinavische Kaufrecht, German edition by
6. United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of
Goods of April 11, 1980,
7. E.g., the relationship between the CISG and general contract avoidance
due to error or the law of torts; see in more detail v.
Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 4 notes 13, 23, Art. notes 4 et seq.; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 notes 48 et seq., Art. 5 notes 11 et seq.
8. One only has to compare the doubts raised in the commentaries regarding
Art. 4 and 5 CISG.
9. (2) Les questions concernant les matières régies par la
présente Convention et qui ne sont pas expressément
tranchées par elle seront reglées selon les principes
géneraux dont elle s'inspire ou, à défaut de ces
principes, conformément à la loi applicable en vertu des
règles du droit international privé.
10. See Art. 6(2) Convention on Agency in the International Sale of Goods
of February 17, 1983 (published in: Rev. dr. uniforme 1983 I--III,
133/137); Art 6(2) Convention on International Financing Leasing of May 22,
1988 (published in: RabelsZ 51 [1987] 730); Art. 4(2) Convention on
International Factoring of May 28, 1988 (published in: RabelsZ 53 [1989]
733).
11. The draft is published in: RabelsZ 9 (1935) 8.
12. E. Rabel, Der Entwurf eines einheitlichen Kaufgesetzes: RabelsZ
9 (1935) 1 et seq. (54).
13. Wording of Art 11 E 1935 and Rabel (previous note) 55.
*. Translator's note: Einheitliches Gesetz über den
internationalen Kauf beweglicher Sachen [(German) Uniform Law on the
International Sale of Goods].
15. Dölle(-Wahl)
Art. 17 notes 75 et seq.; Graveson/Cohn/Graveson (both previous note).
16. H.-J.
Mertens/E. Rehbinder, Internationales Kaufrecht, Kommentar zu den
Einheitlichen Kaufgesetzen (1975) Art. 17 notes 5 et seq.
17. E.g., the principle of good faith: OLG Düsseldorf January 20,
1983, in: Schlechtriem/Magnus Art. 17 No. 7; the principle of
reasonableness: Hof Amsterdam January 5, 1978, S & S 1978, 79; the
prohibition against abuse: OLG Karlsruhe July 25, 1986, RIW 1986, 818; further
the principle that the place of performance for payment as well as repayment of
the purchase price is the seller's place of business: BGH October 22, 1980,
BGHZ 78, 257; the principle that, in case of doubt, payments have to be
applied first to interest on default, then to the oldest outstanding debt: Rb.
Alkmaar May 27, 1982, in: Schlechtriem/Magnus Art. 17 No. 4; Hof
Amsterdam November 4, 1982, Ned. IPR 1983 No. 215; the principle that the law
of the seller is applicable to issues of prescription: OLG Schleswig-Holstein
April 8, 1992, RIW 1992, 582; the principle that in case of doubt the payment
has to be made in the currency at the creditor's place of business: OLG
Koblenz January 21, 1983, in: Schlechtriem/Magnus Art. 17 No. 8; and
finally the principle that the theory of complete restitution applies to
compensation for damages: BGH November 28, 1990, NJW 1991, 639 (640).
18. See for the transfer of rights (OLG Hamm July 1, 1982, in:
Schlechtriem/Magnus Art. 17 No. 5), the Ordinance (OLG Koblenz March 1,
1985, Art. 17 No. 11), the liability for third parties (BFH March 14, 1984, NJW
1984, 2034; OLG Hamm December 19, 1983, Art. 40 No. 7) and the setoff (AG
Frankfurt January 31, 1991, IPRax 1991, 345).
19. See UNCITRAL Yb. 1 (1968--70; published: 1971) 159 (170 et seq.);
UNCITRAL Yb. 2 (1971; published: 1972) 37 (49 et seq.).
20. Off. Rec. 87.
21. Art. 6 Agency Convention of 1983; Art. 6 Leasing Convention of 1988;
Art. 4 Factoring Convention of 1988 (all above note 10).
22. Karollus 16.
23. See above under 3.
24. See Rabel (above note 12); but Neymayer/Ming Art. 7 note
7.
25. In case of doubt the English version (above note 9) is of particular
importance, because English was the language of the preliminary drafts and
deliberations in Vienna. In addition, the Spanish version of
26. See also v Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-
Herber)
Art. 7 note 35; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 7
27. Generally, in favor of a certain"creative development" of the CISG
Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 7 note 10.1; Herber/Czerwenka
Art. 7 note 11.
28. Kötz, Rechtsvereinheitlichung (above note 1) 11; P.
Behrens, Voraussetzungen und Grenzen der Rechtsfortbildung durch
Rechtsvereinheitlichung: RabelsZ 50 (1986) 19 et seq. (26); Mertens
(above note 1) 221; P.H. Neuhaus/J. Kropholler,
Rechtsvereinheitlichung -- Rechtsverbesserung?: RabelsZ 45 (1981) 73 et
seq. (80 et seq.).
29. Published in 1994; see in detail Bonell (above note 1).
30. See also F. Ferrari, Vendita internazionale di beni mobili I,
in: Commentario del Codice Civile Scialoja-Branca,
published by Galgano, Libro IV: Obbligazioni (1994) Art. 7 note 9;
Karollus 16 et seq.; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 40.
31. So defined by H. Dölle, Bemerkungen zu Art. 17 des
Einheitsgesetzes über den Internationalen Kauf beweglicher
körperlicher Gegenstände, in: FS Ficker (1967) 138 et seq. (141).
32. They are regularly regarded as part of the general principles of Art.
7(2) CISG; see Bianca/Bonell
33. See also below 5 b (18).
34. OLG Düsseldorf July 2, 1993, RIW 1993, 845 (the place of
performance for payment claims is generally the creditor's place of business);
implicitly also KG January 24, 1994 (RIW 1994, 683 (in case of doubt the
currency at the creditor's place of business is relevant).
35. See Neumayer/Ming Art. 7 note 7.
36. See, e.g., Audit 51 et seq.; Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem
37. A compilation of these principles was prepared by
Mustill, The New Lex Mercatoria, The First Twenty-five
Years: Arb. Int. 4 (1988) 110 et seq.:
38. See, e.g., Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 7 note 36; Ferrari, Uniform Interpretation of the 1980 Uniform
Sales Law: Ga.J.Int.Comp.L. 24 (1994) 183
39. Mustill (above note 37) 110 lists this rule as the primary
principle of international lex mercatoria.
40. Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.4.1; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 7 note 7; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 7 note 1; Karollus
12; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art 7 note 10; arriving at the same conclusion Ferrari, Vendita
internazionale (above note 30) Art. 7 note 6; probably also Honnold note
95; reserved Loewe, Internationales Kaufrecht, Wiener UN-Kaufrechtsübereinkommen
vom 11. April 1980 und New Yorker UN-Verjährungsübereinkommen
vom 14. Juni 1974 samt Protokoll vom 11. April 1980 (1989) 33;
Farnsworth, The Convention on the International Sale of Goods from the
Perspective of the Common Law Countries, in: La Vendita Internazionale (1981)
18.
41. Audit, 51 et seq; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 7 note 17; Herber/Czerwenka Art. 7 note 6; Honnold (above
note 36) 144; Pilz [[section]] 2 note 170; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 25.
42. See Audit 51 et seq. and Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 25.
43. See Ferrari, Vendita internazionale (above note 30) Art. 7 note
6.
44. See, e.g., Reinhart Art. 7 note 5; partially Enderlein,
Uniform Law and Its Application by Judges and Arbitrators, in: International
Uniform Law in Practice (1988) 342.
45. In more detail Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 28.
46. See the similar jurisdiction regarding the EKG; e.g., OLG Karlsruhe
July 25, 1986, RIW 1986, 818.
47. See, e.g., Art 16(2)(b); 18(2); 25; 33(c); 39(2); 43(1); 47; 49(2);
63(1); 64(2)(b); 65(2); 72(2); 73(2); 75; 77 first sentence; 79(1) and (4); 85
first sentence; 86(1); 88(1) and (3); also "unreasonable": e.g. in Art. 86(2);
87; 88(2).
48. Audit 51; Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 7 note 9.1;
Ferrari, Uniform Interpretation (above note 38) 224 et seq.;
Honnold (above note 36) 139; Karollus 16
49. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Huber),
Kommentar zum Einheitlichen UN-Kaufrecht
(1st edition 1990) Art. 46 note 46 (no longer included in the 2nd edition);
Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 note 53; but Frigge (above note 26) 82 and -- regarding the
EKG -- Soergel(-Lüderitz)
Art. 8 EKG note 8.
50. See above under (4).
51. Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 note 53; but Frigge 116 and -- regarding the EKG -- LG
Duisburg June 10, 1986, RIW 1986, 903.
52. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 7 note 36; Herber/Czerwenka Art. 7 note 12; Karollus 17.
53. Bianca/Bonell(-Rajski)
Art. 11 note 1.1; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Schlechtriem)
Art. 11 note 9; Ferrari, Uniform Interpretation (above note 38) 224;
Piltz [[section]] 2 note 120; Reinhart Art. 11 note 4; but see
M. Jametti-Greiner,
Der Vertragsabschluß, in: Das Einheitliche Wiener Kaufrecht, Neues Recht
für den internationalen Warenkauf, published by H. Hoyer/W. Posch
(1992) 43 et seq. (46 et seq.).
54. Term used by Bonell; see Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2.
55. Audit 51; Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2; v. Caemmerer, Die wesentliche Vertragsverletzung im
internationalen Einheitlichen Kaufrecht, in: Europäisches Rechtsdenken in
Geschichte und Gegenwart, FS Coing II (1982) 50 et seq.; Ferrari,
Uniform Interpretation (above note 38) 225; Honnold note 245.1;
Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 49.
56. See for lex mercatoria in arbitration: ICC Arbitral Award No. 2583,
Clunet 1976, 950; ICC Arbitral Award No. 3540, Clunet 1981, 915.
57. Audit 52; Ferrari, Vendita internazionale (above note 30)
Art. 7 note 9; Heuzé, La vente internationale de marchandises,
Droit uniforme (1992) note 95; Honnold note 101; Karollus 17;
Piltz [[section]] 2 note 131.
58. See Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 85 note 19.
59. Audit 51; Bianca/Bonell(-Bonell)
Art. 7 note 2.3.2.2; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 7 note 9.1;
Ferrari, Uniform Interpretation (above note 38) 226; Honnold
(above note 36) 139; Karollus 16 note 88; Soergel(-Lüderitz)
Art. 7 note 9.
60. Indirect duties to notify the other party (such as the notice of lack
of conformity of the goods) constitute obligations resulting only in
disadvantages for the party subject to the duty, but not in claims of the other
party.
61. See Art. 19(2); 21(1) and (2); 26; 32; 39(1); 46(2) and (3); 47(2); 48;
49(2); 63(2); 64; 65(2) 67(2); 71(3); 72(2); 79(4); 88 (1) and (2).
62. Audit 51; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 47.
63. Audit 51; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 7 note 38; Ferrari, Uniform Interpretation (above note 38) 226;
Honnold note 100; Hyland (above note 38) 331 et seq.
64. Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 48.
65. See also the statements in Vienna Off. Rec. 377.
66. Denkschrift der deutschen Bundesrepublik zum Übereinkommen der
Vereinten Nationen vom 11. April 1980 über Verträge über den
internationalen Warenkauf, BT-Drucks.
11/3076, p. 54; Bianca/Bonell
67. Commentary on the Draft Convention on Contracts for the
International Sale of Goods, prepared by the Secretariat, Off. Rec. 14 et seq.
Art. 77 note 9; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 88 note 9; Loewe
(above note 40) 14; OLG Koblenz September 17, 1993, RIW 1993, 937;
incorrectly in favor of lex fori
68. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Leser)
Art. 81 note 16; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 84 note 1; Piltz
§ 5 note 291; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 note 46; see also -- with respect to the EKG -- Rb. Alkmaar
69. See in more detail Frigge (above note 26) 101 et seq.
70. See in more detail Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 note 47 a.
71. See above 4 b.
72. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Hager)
Art. 68 note 6; R. Geist, Die Gefahrtragung nach dem UN-Übereinkommen
über den internationalen Warenkauf: WBl. 1989, 352; Karollus 200;
Schlechtriem, Einheitliches UN-Kaufrecht
(1981) 83.
73. Bianca/Bonell(-Nicholas)
Art. 66 note 3.2; W.F. Lindacher, Gefahrtragung und Gefahrübergang,
in: Das Einheitliche Wiener Kaufrecht (above note 53) 165 et seq. (176);
Staudinger(-Magnus)
before Art. 66 et seq. note 10.
74. For the general relevance of Art. 20 II CISG Herber/Czerwenka
Art. 20 note 7; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 7 note 50.
75. But Reinhart Art. 4 note 7.
76. Bianca/Bonell(-Farnsworth)
Art. 21 note 2.2; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Schlechtriem)
Art. 21 note 7; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 21 note 3;
Karollus 74 et seq.; Noussias, Die Zugangsbedürftigkeit von
Mitteilungen nach den Einheitlichen Haager Kaufgesetzen und nach dem UN-Kaufgesetz
(1983)
77. Bianca/Bonell(-Farnsworth)
Art. 24 note 3.1; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Schlechtriem)
Art. 24
78. See citations in the previous note.
79. See KG January 24, 1994, RIW 1994, 683; Pretore della giurisdizione di
Locarna-Campagna
December 16, 1991, SZIER 1993, 665 (regarding maturity of the interest claim);
in general Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 59 note 10.
80. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 4 note 11; Herber/Czerwenka Art. 4 note 14; Karollus 41;
Piltz [[section]] 2 note 136; Reinhart Art. 4 note 7. According
to the prevailing view, German private international law calls for application
of the lex causae or the lex loci actus: BGH December 9, 1964,
BGHZ 43, 21; April 16, 1975, BGHZ 64, 183; May 13, 1982, NJW 1982, 2733; in
detail J. Kropholler, Internationales Privatrecht2 (1994) 273 et seq.
(reviewed by Schwind, RabelsZ 59 [1995] 142 et seq.).
81. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 4 note 24; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 79 note 7.2;
Schlechtriem, Einheitliches Kaufrecht: Erfahrungen mit den Haager
Kaufgesetzen -- Folgerungen für das Wiener UN-Kaufrecht:
ÖR Wirt. 1989, 41 et seq. (45); Soergel(-Lüderitz)
Art. 4 note 6; Staudinge
82. Audit 141; Karollus 167; Magnus,
Währungsfragen im Einheitlichen Kaufrecht, Zugleich ein Beitrag zu seiner
Lückenfüllung und Auslegung: RabelsZ 53 (1989) 116 et seq. (130);
Münchener Kommentar zum Bürgerlichen Gesetzbuch (-Martiny)
VII2 (1990) Art. 28 EGBGB Appendix II note 11; Piltz § 4 note
124; Soergel(-Lüderitz)
Art. 53 note 2; similarly KG January 24, 1994, RIW 1994, 683 (currency of the
place of payment, which under the CISG is the creditor's place of business);
but -- for the currency relevant pursuant to the rules of private
international law -- Bianca/Bonell(-Maskow)
Art. 54 note 3.1;
83. See v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Hager)
Art. 54 note 8.
84. OLG Düsseldorf July 2, 1993, RIW 1993, 845; with affirmative
comment by Schlechtriem, EWiR 1993, 1075; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Hager)
Art. 61 note 4 a; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 57 note 2;
Herber/Czerwenka Art. 57 note 14; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 57 notes 22 et seq.
85. See in detail v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Hager)
Art. 61.
86. v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Herber)
Art. 4 note 22 and in detail v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem(-Huber)
Art. 45 note 12; Herber/Czerwenka Art 4 note 8; Neumayer/Ming
Art. 4 note 13; B. Reimers-Zocher,
Beweislastfragen im Haager und Wiener Kaufrecht (1995) 128 et seq.; Soergel(-Lüderitz)
Art. 4 note 6 and note 4; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 notes 63 et seq.; but see Bianca/Bonell(-Khoo)
Art. 2 note 3.2.
87. See Art. 2 a; Art. 25; Art. 46 I and III; Art. 62; Art. 66 CISG.
88. Neumayer/Ming Art. 4 note 13; Reimers-Zocher
(above note 86) 133 et seq.; Staudinger(-Magnus)
89. Neumayer/Ming Art. 4 note 13; Reimers-Zocher
(above note 86) 138 et seq.; Staudinger(-Magnus)
90. See the citations in note 88 above.
91. Reimers-Zocher
(above note 86) 146 et seq.; Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 4 note 69.
92. Honnold note 421; K.H. Neumayer, Offene Fragen zur
Anwendung des Abkommens der Vereinten Nationen über den internationalen
Warenkauf: RIW 1994, 99 et seq. (106).
93. LG Hamburg September 26, 1990, RIW 1990, 1015; OLG Frankfurt/M. June
13, 1991, NJW 1991, 3102; January 18, 1994, NJW 1994, 1013; OLG
Düsseldorf February 10, 1994, NJW-RR
1994, 506; OLG München March 2, 1994, RIW 1994, 595; ICC-Arbitral
Award No. 7197/1992, Clunet 1993, 1028 with an affirmative comment by D.H.;
Bianca/Bonell(-Nicholas)
Art. 78 note 2.1; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem (-Eberstein/Bacher)
Art. 78 note 26; Enderlein/Maskow/Strohbach Art. 78 note 2.2;
Karollus 227; Loewe (above note 40) 95; B. Piltz, Neue
Entwicklungen im UN-Kaufrecht:
NJW 1994, 1101 et seq. (1105); Staudinger(-Magnus)
Art. 78 note 12.
94. Rb. Amsterdam March 5, 1980, in: Schlechtriem/Magnus Art. 17
No. 6; Rb. Alkmaar May 27, 1982, Art. 17 No. 4; Hof Amsterdam November 4, 1982
(both above note 17).
95. See also Schlechtriem, Einheitliches Kaufrecht (above note 81)
46; v. Caemmerer/Schlechtriem
96. See the compilation prepared by Mustill (above note
37).
97. On the history see J.M. Bonell, Das UNIDROIT-Projekt
für die Ausarbeitung von Regeln für internationale
Handelsverträge: RabelsZ 56 (1992) 274 et seq.; J.M. Bonell,
Restatement 1 et seq.
98. See above note 29.
99. Bonell, Das UNIDROIT-Projekt
(above note 97) 277.
100. See the Preamble of the "Principles". However, the question whether
this is to be interpreted as more than a reference to substantive law is
problematic and depends on the general opinion on an international lex
mercatoria with independent validity, which shall not be explored further in
this context.
101. In particular, the UCC, the Restatement (Second) of the Law of
Contracts, the Nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek of the Netherlands, the Statute
regarding Foreign Trade Contracts of the People's Republic of China, the Civil
Law of 1975 of Algeria, and the draft of a new Civil Law for Québec have
been considered; see Bonell, Das UNIDROIT-Projekt
(above note 97) 280; Bonell, Restatement 43.
102. Bonell, Das UNIDROIT-Projekt
(above note 97); Bonell, Restatement 43.
103. Bonell, Restatement 14 et seq.
104. See the Preamble: "They can be used to interpret or supplement rules
of international uniform law."
105. Bonell, Restatement 47: "Only exceptionally do the UNIDROIT
Principles depart from the solutions adopted in CISG." In addition, the few
exceptions mentioned by Bonell (id.) concern more the wording
than the substantive content: e.g., contrary to Art. 7 I CISG the "Principles"
explicitly provide for applicability of the good faith principle in the
contractual relationship of the parties ("Principles"
106. For a few examples see Bonell, Restatement 113 et seq.
107. K. Zweigert [Diskussion] in: Die Anwendung ausländischen
Rechts im internationalen Privatrecht, Festveranstaltung und Kolloquium
anläßlich des 40jährigen Bestehens des Max-Planck-Instituts
für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht vom 6.-8.
Juli 1966 in Hamburg (1968) 190 (Materialien zum ausländischen und
internationalen Privatrecht, 10).
108. H. Kötz, Allgemeine Rechtsgrundsätze als Ersatzrecht:
RabelsZ 34 (1970) 663 ets eq.
109. Kötz, Allgemeine Rechtsgrundsätze (previous note)
676.
110. Kötz, Allgemeine Rechtsgrundsätze (above note 108)
677.